Holder for trees, bushes, flowers, and the like



April 26, 1932. J. c. SMITH 1,856,000

. HOLDER FOR TREES, BUSHES, FLOWERS, AND THE LIKE Filed April 22, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 wz' 1b 5 m I 1 James C. Smi 15 I I 7 h 331 v April 26, 1932. J. c. SMITH 1,856,000

HOLDER FOR TREES, BUSHES, FLOWERS, AND THE LIKE Filed April 22, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Patented Apr. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES C. SMITH, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA Application filed. April 22,

This invention relates to a holder for trees, bushes, flowers and the like.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, durable and effective device of the nature stated.

Another object resides in the provision of a device of the nature stated, embodying among other characteristics, a base provided with a water chamber having a removable 1 closure in the form of a pliable plug which has such tight connection with the inner walls of the water chamber as to create a frictional resistance to prevent accidental displacement of the closure or turning thereof in the water receptacle, the closure having means to limit inward movement of the closure within said receptacle and having an aperture to receive and frictionally hold the stem of a tree, bush, or a flag staff or the like in upright position.

Another object resides in the provision of a. holder or support of the nature stated embodying means whereby to effectively support 'a tree or the like or a flag staff in combination with means for effectively lockingtogether the holder and that which is supported thereby so as to prevent surreptitious taking of the article supported by the holder.

A still further object is to provide a device of the nature stated embodying ornamental characteristics particularly adapting the device for use in dining rooms of hotels, cafes and such places and also on tables where large numbers of persons are gathered around tables, such as conventions, etc.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangements of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and set forth in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to withtion or sacrificing any of the advantages ported therein.

. closure, as shown. The closure is preferably out departing from the spirit of the inven- 1930. Serial N0. 446,375.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view showin a flag supported in the holder.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the reference character 1 designates a cementitious or other plastic base of any suitable form or size and which may be composed wholly of wood or metal, if desired.

The base 1 is provided with a water chamber 2, and this chamber may be provided with a glass, china or other suitable lining in the form of a cup 3 molded in the base. If preferred, the chamber may not have its walls thus lined but the walls of the chamber may be rendered water proof by the common method of metal spraying the walls of the chamber. However, when the cup 3 is employed it is preferably molded with the base, if the base be composed of plastic material, and as shown, the cup is embedded in the base and terminates short of the bottom of the recess 4 at the top of the base. 75

If desired the cup may be loosely and removably mounted in the chamber. Between the bottom of said recess 4 and the upper edge of the cup 3 there is preferably formed an internal annular groove 6 for a purpose presently explained.

A closure 7 of rubber or other suitable yieldable material is adapted to close the upper end of the water chamber and has a flange 8 projecting laterally from its outer 85 end adapted to limit the inward movement of the closure into thewater chamber in which latter the level of the water A is preferably lower than the inner end of the body of the split, as shown at 9 and has a longitudinal aperture 10. This closure may be held in closed position by reason of its yieldable nature and a tight fit in the mouth of the water chamber by reason of its frictional engagement with the side walls of the water chamber, it being intended that there be a normally tight fit between the body of the closure and the water chamber and such as 1 to prevent accidental dislodgment of the closure.

However, the body of the closure may be provided with an annular rib 11 adapted to spring into the aforesaid annular groove 6 in the water chamber.

When water has been placed in the water chamber and the latter closed by the closure 7, the base is ready for the support of a tree, bush or a flower, the. stem a of which is inserted through said aperture 10 into the water chamber through the aforesaid aperture so as to reach the water and receive moisture from the water chamber, It is preferable that the stem be of such diameter as to fit tightly in the said aperture 10 so to be firmly supported by the closure and for the further purpose of expanding the closure into tight engagement with the walls of the water chamber and thereby insure an efiective mounting of the tree, bush or flower whether or not the aforesaid groove 6 and rib ll be employed, but which, if employed efiects a further locking of the closure over the water chamber. In any event, the binding of the body of the closure against the interior walls of the water chamber and the binding or the walls of said aperture against the stem of the tree or flower obviates undue evaporation of water. The stems of trees and bushes, in particular, are generally irregular, but the large diameters of such stems effect the necessary frictional contact therebetween and the aperture of the closure, and such as to expand and bind the closure against the walls of the water chamber.

The base may have the water chamber tapering in form, if desired, and in this tapering chamber there may be molded a cup 3' having a tapering side wall as shown. If preferred, this cup 3 may be eliminated and thewalls of the water chamber 2 may be rendered waterproof by metal spraying the walls of said chamber. In this form of the invention shown in Fig. 3, the closure 7 is also tapered as shown, and it has an annular rib 11 adapted to fit in the anular groove 6 as in the other forms of the invention illustrated and described, the closure having the aperture as in the other forms to receive the stem of the tree or the like a.

To prevent surreptitious removal of the tree or flower from its holder or base, a locking means may be employed, and to this end,

I the base 1 may be provided with a transverse opening 12 to receive a sharp pointed locking bolt 13 provided with an eye 14. This bolt has its pointed end passed transversely through the opening 12 and into the stemv a of the tree or flower and the eye 14 is adapted to lie adjacent a side of the base in registration with an eye 15 at the outer end of a metal or other keeper 16 embedded in the base, the registering eyes being adapted to receive the shank of a suitable lock 17'. Thus,

the tree, bush or flower and base may be effectively locked together so as to prevent the taking of the tree, bush or flower from its holder or base.

The present holder is equally as well adapted for the support of a flag and its stall and in the support of the same the water in the Water chamber is not required, but in all other respects the structural characteristics hereinbefore described may be employed, including the locking means. To this end, there is shown, the outline of a flag 18 carried at the upper end of the flag staff 19 which latter is shown as inserted into the chamber 2 through the aperture in the closure and it will be understood that the flag staff may be tapered to lit a correspondingly tapered aperture of the closure, as previously described, although I am not showing the taper in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

If desired, the stall may be provided with a groove 20 to effect squeezing of the rubber or other yieldable closure into the groove to facilitate an effective supporting connection between the staff and closure, especially when the aforesaid groove and rib are not employed.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I produce an effective, durable, inexpensive and ornamental support for trees, bushes, flowers i on the stem, flag stafls etc. and it will be understood that a bunch of cut flowers may have their plurality of stems inserted through the aperture in the closure of the water chamher and that as the size of the base may vary it may be of a size to support small or large trees, including Christmas trees.

If the annular groove and annular rib fea tures are employed there is less likelihood of the closure being pulled out of the chamber, if a person attempts to move the device by taking hold on the tree or staff than when such connection is notemployed, although the triotional contact effects proper connection in such a contingency especially when the articles supported are small.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. A holder for Christmas trees and analogous articles, comprising a base provided with an upwardly opening chamber closed at its bottom and enlarged at its top to define a recess, and a plug of resilient or elastic material closing the upper end of the chamber and formed with an outer flange received in the said recess and having a central opening to receive the article to be supported, there be ing a rib and groove joint between the elastic plug and walls of the chamber.

2. A holder for Christmas trees and analogous articles, comprising a base provided 3 with an upwardly opening chamber closed at its bottom, a water holding cup in the lower portion of the chamber adapted to receive the or elastic material closing the upper end of Elf;

' lower end of the article, and a plug of resilient the chamber and centrally apertured for the passage of the article to be supported.

3. A holder for Christmas trees and analogous articles, comprising a plastic base having an upwardly opening chamber molded therein, a water holding cup embedded in the base in line with the lower portion of said chamber, a plug of resilient or elastic material closing the upper end of the chamber and having a rib and groove joint connection therewith and provided at its top with an outer flange overhanging the chamber and engaging the top of the base and formed with a central article receiving opening, an article securing element passable through a side of the base, and locking means engageable with the base and the said securing element to prevent surreptitious removal of the latter.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES C. SMITH. 

